Farve: 12 TDs / 3 INTs - How to beat him on Sunday?

[Waldo]

If you force the Vikes to put the ball in Favre's hand on 3rd it all comes down to if Favre is "on".

This.

If I was McCarthy, I would play them using the Vikes old game, pound the rock, be conservative with the pass, try to control the clock. Play to Aaron's strengths. Aaron can generate A LOT of offense in a very short time. He hasn't really been good at sustaining long bursts of "hot" QB play where he hits lots of quick stuff.

That is Brett's game. Brett gets hot and that is how he plays. Brett is at his worst when the pressure to play like Aaron ratchets up, when he has to produce really, really fast. He isn't' patient enough in high pressure. But Brett heats up, and he can sustain very long stretches of nearly undefendable play.

The absolutely worst thing that could happen IMO is for us to score quick and take a 10 point lead, only for Brett to get hot and sustain it for nearly the whole game. Make it a Grant vs. AD game with some shots here and there, then later, in the 2nd half, switch tactics and try to catch a few big plays. Try to get Brett to go toe to toe with Aaron in "big plays". He can't.

[SkinBasket]

Chillar, as a nickel 'roamer', could be used to spy Peterson and would also serve to clog up passing lanes if Favre chooses to pass..

Why, so Peterson can run him over like a 12 year old girl? I don't mind the concept, but Chillar isn't strong enough physically or technique wise to handle that assignment.

[mraynrand]

If you force the Vikes to put the ball in Favre's hand on 3rd it all comes down to if Favre is "on".

This.

If I was McCarthy, I would play them using the Vikes old game, pound the rock, be conservative with the pass, try to control the clock. Play to Aaron's strengths. Aaron can generate A LOT of offense in a very short time. He hasn't really been good at sustaining long bursts of "hot" QB play where he hits lots of quick stuff.

That is Brett's game. Brett gets hot and that is how he plays. Brett is at his worst when the pressure to play like Aaron ratchets up, when he has to produce really, really fast. He isn't' patient enough in high pressure. But Brett heats up, and he can sustain very long stretches of nearly undefendable play.

The absolutely worst thing that could happen IMO is for us to score quick and take a 10 point lead, only for Brett to get hot and sustain it for nearly the whole game. Make it a Grant vs. AD game with some shots here and there, then later, in the 2nd half, switch tactics and try to catch a few big plays. Try to get Brett to go toe to toe with Aaron in "big plays". He can't.

These ideas seem to be contradictory. If Rodgers is better than Favre in big plays and Favre would struggle to match Rodgers in big plays it seems like the Packers want to get up by 10 quickly with big plays to force Favre to keep up. And, it seems like pounding the rock would play right into the Vikings' hands.

Look at the Cleveland game - McCarthy pounded the rock on the first drive, with only one pass and a failed fourth down sneak. The Browns then almost drove the distance for a leading TD - only the horrific play of Anderson bailed them out. Once they started letting Rodgers pass, make reads and create did they blow Cleveland out of the water.

Pound the rock against the Vikings? Against the Williams duo? Water the field heavily, Pass to run, use your check down against pressures, force Favre to play keep up and get some pressure and some really hard hits on the old fossil. That's how they'll win.

[mraynrand]

Also, don't try 'Big Oakie' on Favre - even Derek Anderson recognized it and immediately threw over Chillar for what should have been a TD. Favre will pick that shit apart.

[mngolf19]

1. Man coverage on the WR that locks them down all game to free up the SS to hit AP

2. D line...their O line is brutal, not as bad as ours, but we should be shredding Favre with Kamp, Pickett, Raji and Jolly.

3. left side of our O line. We HAVE to stop Allen and the Williams boys...

4. GJ and DD need to go OFF! What I mean by that is take those 5 yard slants to the house.

5. Crosby cannot miss a kick

Vikes OL is brutal???

[Waldo]

If you force the Vikes to put the ball in Favre's hand on 3rd it all comes down to if Favre is "on".

This.

If I was McCarthy, I would play them using the Vikes old game, pound the rock, be conservative with the pass, try to control the clock. Play to Aaron's strengths. Aaron can generate A LOT of offense in a very short time. He hasn't really been good at sustaining long bursts of "hot" QB play where he hits lots of quick stuff.

That is Brett's game. Brett gets hot and that is how he plays. Brett is at his worst when the pressure to play like Aaron ratchets up, when he has to produce really, really fast. He isn't' patient enough in high pressure. But Brett heats up, and he can sustain very long stretches of nearly undefendable play.

The absolutely worst thing that could happen IMO is for us to score quick and take a 10 point lead, only for Brett to get hot and sustain it for nearly the whole game. Make it a Grant vs. AD game with some shots here and there, then later, in the 2nd half, switch tactics and try to catch a few big plays. Try to get Brett to go toe to toe with Aaron in "big plays". He can't.

These ideas seem to be contradictory. If Rodgers is better than Favre in big plays and Favre would struggle to match Rodgers in big plays it seems like the Packers want to get up by 10 quickly with big plays to force Favre to keep up. And, it seems like pounding the rock would play right into the Vikings' hands.

Look at the Cleveland game - McCarthy pounded the rock on the first drive, with only one pass and a failed fourth down sneak. The Browns then almost drove the distance for a leading TD - only the horrific play of Anderson bailed them out. Once they started letting Rodgers pass, make reads and create did they blow Cleveland out of the water.

Pound the rock against the Vikings? Against the Williams duo? Water the field heavily, Pass to run, use your check down against pressures, force Favre to play keep up and get some pressure and some really hard hits on the old fossil. That's how they'll win.

No, no, no.

Brett is a rhythm passer. Get up too much too early, and the plan would be to shift the placalling balance toward Favre, without pressing, and let his get his groove on. With some sprinkled in AD. If Brett is in a rhythm, AD will be tough to stop.

If the game stays close, within a score or so, ridden out into the mid 3rd, that is the time to strike fast. Rhythm passing works really well if it has a long time to work. In a short span it isn't nearly as effective (unless the D is in prevent), the QB has to press it, and push the ball deeper, which can break the rhythm or prevent it from forming. Rhythm passing takes what the D gives it, it is not that good at stealing what isn't there.

Favre gets into rhythm in the late first, he can get hot and ride it into the 4th. Aaron is not nearly as good of a rhythm passer, he has not done well in pure shootouts. He does take what the defense gives him, but that tends to be when the defense gives him big things. He isn't nearly as content to ignore even looking for the big things in favor of just getting into a smooth short rhythm. And he will steal what isn't really there for most QB's.

If Aaron gets up early with some big plays, and Brett rides his way back in it on a rhythm, then Aaron would have to match Brett's rhythm with big plays. Probably not going to happen.

The Williams wall isn't what it once was. Mn's run D is decent, but not stellar. Grant has always done well against them. A sloppy field favors a back like Grant against the defense. GB's run D is a good bit better than Mn's right now. Call me crazy, but AD vs. our run D and Grant vs. theirs I darn near see as a push. Given the gains that running will have in protection and play action passing (play action helping the big strike offense Aaron excels at), and that pounding AD will keep Brett out of rhythm, I would definitely go that way if I was McCarthy.

[Smidgeon]

Aaron is not nearly as good of a rhythm passer, he has not done well in pure shootouts. He does take what the defense gives him, but that tends to be when the defense gives him big things. He isn't nearly as content to ignore even looking for the big things in favor of just getting into a smooth short rhythm. And he will steal what isn't really there for most QB's.

Seems like you have a good handle on AR. Personally, I like his big strike capabilities. It's explosive. How much of that is Aaron, how much is McCarthy's scheme and playcalling, how can you tell the difference between the two, and how good is Aaron? (I know it's a lot of questions, but I'm curious.)

[MadtownPacker]

Whats up Smidgeon? You really in SF? There right now at some Windows 7 event. You a "expert" like these other guys think they are?

[Smidgeon]

Whats up Smidgeon? You really in SF? There right now at some Windows 7 event. You a "expert" like these other guys think they are?

I'm actually in the East Bay north of San Jose. But people across the country recognize "San Francisco" sooner than they would "Fremont". So I elected that.

As for expert, nah. I have opinions and like certain players better than others like the next guy, but I don't profess to know a lot about the intricacies of the game having never played myself at any level. I've only missed two games on TV since Barnett's rookie season, the year that I really started following fervently (starting with watching both days of the draft on ESPN). I was a fan before that, but too passively to really be able to talk about anything. I've seen one game which was the 2003 season finale against Denver when Ahman Green busted his 98 or 99 yard rushing touchdown. Now, I'm trying to expand my awareness and knowledge, and believe it or not, California isn't exactly a hotbed for Packer fans, especially considering the damage the 90s GB team did to the 90s 49ers teams. So I headed online looking for good discussion and similar spirit.

[Waldo]

Aaron is not nearly as good of a rhythm passer, he has not done well in pure shootouts. He does take what the defense gives him, but that tends to be when the defense gives him big things. He isn't nearly as content to ignore even looking for the big things in favor of just getting into a smooth short rhythm. And he will steal what isn't really there for most QB's.

Seems like you have a good handle on AR. Personally, I like his big strike capabilities. It's explosive. How much of that is Aaron, how much is McCarthy's scheme and playcalling, how can you tell the difference between the two, and how good is Aaron? (I know it's a lot of questions, but I'm curious.)

There are few, if any, QB's in the game today (Rivers maybe?) with a long sideline accuracy as good as Aaron's. He can fit it into very small windows from shockingly far away.

Plays like those 1 handed grabs by DD. Great plays by Don, but they can't happen if Aaron's accuracy isn't darn near perfect.

There is also the nicety, if Aaron is going to miss his guy on a long ball, he almost always will overthrow him. Good receivers can make that extra effort to get those, but they are safe and clear from DB's hands.

That is one thing I always disliked about Brett. His sidline accuracy was spotty at best. Sometimes it would be perfect, others it would be HS QB caliber. And Brett missed short, rarely did he overthrow guys deep on the sidelines. Which led to A LOT of interceptions.

[Smidgeon]

Aaron is not nearly as good of a rhythm passer, he has not done well in pure shootouts. He does take what the defense gives him, but that tends to be when the defense gives him big things. He isn't nearly as content to ignore even looking for the big things in favor of just getting into a smooth short rhythm. And he will steal what isn't really there for most QB's.

Seems like you have a good handle on AR. Personally, I like his big strike capabilities. It's explosive. How much of that is Aaron, how much is McCarthy's scheme and playcalling, how can you tell the difference between the two, and how good is Aaron? (I know it's a lot of questions, but I'm curious.)

There are few, if any, QB's in the game today (Rivers maybe?) with a long sideline accuracy as good as Aaron's. He can fit it into very small windows from shockingly far away.

Plays like those 1 handed grabs by DD. Great plays by Don, but they can't happen if Aaron's accuracy isn't darn near perfect.

There is also the nicety, if Aaron is going to miss his guy on a long ball, he almost always will overthrow him. Good receivers can make that extra effort to get those, but they are safe and clear from DB's hands.

That is one thing I always disliked about Brett. His sidline accuracy was spotty at best. Sometimes it would be perfect, others it would be HS QB caliber. And Brett missed short, rarely did he overthrow guys deep on the sidelines. Which led to A LOT of interceptions.

Compared to historical "vertical assassins" where would he rank in terms of skill set?

[Tony Oday]

1. Man coverage on the WR that locks them down all game to free up the SS to hit AP

2. D line...their O line is brutal, not as bad as ours, but we should be shredding Favre with Kamp, Pickett, Raji and Jolly.

3. left side of our O line. We HAVE to stop Allen and the Williams boys...

4. GJ and DD need to go OFF! What I mean by that is take those 5 yard slants to the house.

5. Crosby cannot miss a kick

Vikes OL is brutal???

Oh hell yes they are. McKinnie can only run block...he looks like he moves with cement shoes in pass blocking. Hutch is good both as a drive blocker and pass pro, Sullivan, Herrera and Loadholdt are terrible.

[Waldo]

1. Man coverage on the WR that locks them down all game to free up the SS to hit AP

2. D line...their O line is brutal, not as bad as ours, but we should be shredding Favre with Kamp, Pickett, Raji and Jolly.

3. left side of our O line. We HAVE to stop Allen and the Williams boys...

4. GJ and DD need to go OFF! What I mean by that is take those 5 yard slants to the house.

5. Crosby cannot miss a kick

Vikes OL is brutal???

Oh hell yes they are. McKinnie can only run block...he looks like he moves with cement shoes in pass blocking. Hutch is good both as a drive blocker and pass pro, Sullivan, Herrera and Loadholdt are terrible.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/2009/10/29/vikings-hutchinson-not-playing-up-to-reputation

[mraynrand]

There is also the nicety, if Aaron is going to miss his guy on a long ball, he almost always will overthrow him. Good receivers can make that extra effort to get those, but they are safe and clear from DB's hands.

I agree. There was a drive against Cleveland where Rodgers 'missed' Driver (high) and ?another receiver (low) on deep sideline passes. I was explaining to my daughter that they were still very good throws because there was tight coverage and they were only thrown to the receivers' hand. Either they catch them or they are out of bounds or in the dirt. They were pretty accurate given the circumstances (tight coverage and the distance downfield). Allowing careless INTs is pure poison. Rodgers so far is really avoiding those.

[Tony Oday]

1. Man coverage on the WR that locks them down all game to free up the SS to hit AP

2. D line...their O line is brutal, not as bad as ours, but we should be shredding Favre with Kamp, Pickett, Raji and Jolly.

3. left side of our O line. We HAVE to stop Allen and the Williams boys...

4. GJ and DD need to go OFF! What I mean by that is take those 5 yard slants to the house.

5. Crosby cannot miss a kick

Vikes OL is brutal???

Oh hell yes they are. McKinnie can only run block...he looks like he moves with cement shoes in pass blocking. Hutch is good both as a drive blocker and pass pro, Sullivan, Herrera and Loadholdt are terrible.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/200...-to-reputation

I did not see the steeler play and special teams well honestly had no idea he was the one responsible. I still think he plays a good game if you watch him.